Effect of particle contact on the electrical performance of NTC-epoxy composite thermistors
As demand rises for flexible electronics, traditionally prepared sintered ceramic sensors must be transformed into fully new sensor materials that can bend and flex in use and integration. Negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTC) ceramic thermistors are preferred temperature sensors for...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Materials Research Express |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ab706d |
| _version_ | 1797746444884508672 |
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| author | D B Deutz S van der Zwaag P Groen |
| author_facet | D B Deutz S van der Zwaag P Groen |
| author_sort | D B Deutz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As demand rises for flexible electronics, traditionally prepared sintered ceramic sensors must be transformed into fully new sensor materials that can bend and flex in use and integration. Negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTC) ceramic thermistors are preferred temperature sensors for their high accuracy and excellent stability, yet their high stiffness and high temperature fabrication process limits their use in flexible electronics. Here, a low stiffness thermistor based on NTC ceramic particles of micron size embedded in an epoxy polymer matrix is reported. The effect of particle-to-particle contact on electrical performance is studied by arranging the NTC particles in the composite films in one of three ways: (1) Low particle contact, (2) Improved particle contact perpendicular to the electrodes and (3) dispersing high particle contact agglomerated clumps throughout the polymer. At 50 vol.% of agglomerated NTC particles, the composite films exhibit a β -value of 2069 K and a resistivity, ρ , of $3.3\cdot {10}^{5}$ Ωm, 4 orders of magnitude lower than a randomly dispersed composite at identical volume. A quantitative analysis shows that attaining a predominantly parallel connectivity of the NTC particles and polymer is a key parameter in determining the electrical performance of the composite film. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:37:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0646c847100e453491b0c0cc627d3b81 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-1591 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:37:53Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials Research Express |
| spelling | doaj.art-0646c847100e453491b0c0cc627d3b812023-08-09T16:07:17ZengIOP PublishingMaterials Research Express2053-15912020-01-017202570210.1088/2053-1591/ab706dEffect of particle contact on the electrical performance of NTC-epoxy composite thermistorsD B Deutz0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7230-6031S van der Zwaag1P Groen2Novel Aerospace Materials Group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology , Kluyverweg 1, 2629HS, Delft, The Netherlands; University Library, University of Southern Denmark , Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense, DenmarkNovel Aerospace Materials Group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology , Kluyverweg 1, 2629HS, Delft, The NetherlandsNovel Aerospace Materials Group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology , Kluyverweg 1, 2629HS, Delft, The Netherlands; Holst Centre, TNO, High Tech Campus 31, 5605KN Eindhoven, The NetherlandsAs demand rises for flexible electronics, traditionally prepared sintered ceramic sensors must be transformed into fully new sensor materials that can bend and flex in use and integration. Negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTC) ceramic thermistors are preferred temperature sensors for their high accuracy and excellent stability, yet their high stiffness and high temperature fabrication process limits their use in flexible electronics. Here, a low stiffness thermistor based on NTC ceramic particles of micron size embedded in an epoxy polymer matrix is reported. The effect of particle-to-particle contact on electrical performance is studied by arranging the NTC particles in the composite films in one of three ways: (1) Low particle contact, (2) Improved particle contact perpendicular to the electrodes and (3) dispersing high particle contact agglomerated clumps throughout the polymer. At 50 vol.% of agglomerated NTC particles, the composite films exhibit a β -value of 2069 K and a resistivity, ρ , of $3.3\cdot {10}^{5}$ Ωm, 4 orders of magnitude lower than a randomly dispersed composite at identical volume. A quantitative analysis shows that attaining a predominantly parallel connectivity of the NTC particles and polymer is a key parameter in determining the electrical performance of the composite film.https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ab706dflexible electronicsprinted electronicsthermistortemperature sensorfunctional compositenegative temperature coefficient of resistance |
| spellingShingle | D B Deutz S van der Zwaag P Groen Effect of particle contact on the electrical performance of NTC-epoxy composite thermistors Materials Research Express flexible electronics printed electronics thermistor temperature sensor functional composite negative temperature coefficient of resistance |
| title | Effect of particle contact on the electrical performance of NTC-epoxy composite thermistors |
| title_full | Effect of particle contact on the electrical performance of NTC-epoxy composite thermistors |
| title_fullStr | Effect of particle contact on the electrical performance of NTC-epoxy composite thermistors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of particle contact on the electrical performance of NTC-epoxy composite thermistors |
| title_short | Effect of particle contact on the electrical performance of NTC-epoxy composite thermistors |
| title_sort | effect of particle contact on the electrical performance of ntc epoxy composite thermistors |
| topic | flexible electronics printed electronics thermistor temperature sensor functional composite negative temperature coefficient of resistance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ab706d |
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